


Symphony of Destruction

by Nefertiti1052 (Succubusphan)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fate & Destiny, Grief/Mourning, Hell, M/M, chapter 1 is very grief heavy, death is only the beggining, if you have questions about triggers my blog is linked inside send me a message, the end is 100 per cent happy, this isn't tagged as main character death because of the happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:20:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25215358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Succubusphan/pseuds/Nefertiti1052
Summary: When Phil falls terminally ill Dan vows to do anything necessary to save him and a mysterious stranger offers his help. Dan should have known not to trust a deal too good to be true, now Phil has to find a way to fix his mistakes.Updates coming every day until it’s finished. PLEASE READ THE TAGS.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 44
Kudos: 23
Collections: Phandom Reverse Bang 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my third fic for this edition of the @phandomreversebang. Thank you to @itsmyusualphannie for creating the amazing art and prompt for this fic and to my lovely beta @snow-dnp who helped me and encouraged me a lot during the writing process. It was honestly a pleasure to work with you guys. Thank you for being super patient with me.

Dan still looked at Phil the same way he had been looking at him for 10 years: his eyes filled with love and devotion, like he was his entire world. He tried to keep his composure around Phil, but it was so hard these days. 

He couldn’t believe that he’d spent so much time alone, only for his love to be stolen away a few years after they’d found each other. Phil looked so weak, so pale. Dan ran his fingers through Phil’s hair, not knowing if he would get another chance. He took Phil’s pillow from behind his back gently and fluffed it up, setting it back in its place. “Is that ok, love?”

Phil gave him a thankful smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thank you, that’s much better.” His voice was hoarse and flat. Phil turned another page on his grandmother’s journal with shaky hands and sighed. 

Phil had found great comfort in reading about his grandma. He had always had a special connection with her, since she had been very present in his childhood. The fact that as her final act on this earth, she had left him her journal, a hefty handcrafted book that covered decades of her life as well as some of her premonitions and instructions, had left a warm fuzzy feeling in Phil’s heart. 

Kath had smiled and mentioned that Phil reminded her of her mother a lot, always telling weird stories and making strange premonitions. Phil had rejoiced in that information, even in his current state.

Most of the time Phil spent awake was dedicated to reading. Dan had tried to convince him to sleep instead of forcing himself to read, but Phil would not hear it. He insisted that he wanted to finish it, so he needed to carry on. He looked so tired. Dan could see the life in him slowly start to dim and it seemed like Phil felt it too. 

Kathryn knocked on the opened door and entered the room. “Dan, love, why don’t you go for a coffee? I’ll stay with him.” She placed a reassuring hand behind Dan’s back. 

Dan didn’t need coffee; he didn’t need anything that wasn’t Phil. He understood nonetheless. She was losing Phil too and wanted to spend some time with him, alone.

He kissed Phil’s forehead, inhaling his scent. “I’ll be right outside, ok? I love you.”

“I love you too, don’t take long.” He gave Dan’s hand a squeeze.

Dan squeezed back. “I won’t.”

\--

Dan walked down the hall, past the nurses’ office, and got himself a shitty coffee from the machine in the waiting room. His brain was isolated from the low chattering and the sniffles of the few people left at three in the morning; he could only hear a deafening silence. This was wrong, this was all wrong. They were supposed to have forever.

It had taken him until now to realize that perhaps Phil wouldn’t make it. He had been so sure. He _knew_ when they got the diagnosis that Phil would get through it. How could he not? The idea of Phil actually dying was absolutely ridiculous, Phil could do anything. But he had been wrong. Phil was dying, in a white, sterile, hospital room. He didn’t deserve that. Dan wanted to talk to Kathryn about making him comfortable at home and keep him company until it was time, but he hadn’t dared. Maybe tonight would be the night to breach that topic. 

A tear rolled down his cheek. He couldn’t do this, not now. He needed to go back to Phil. 

Phil was so starved for touch, so scared; like a small child. He wanted Dan with him at all times. Dan was thankful to share any and all moments with him, he would be right by his side until the very end, as it was meant to be.

Dan slowly made his way back to the room, dragging his feet against the marble floor until he passed the nurses’ office once more and heard an alarm. He looked in and saw the panicked face of the nurse assigned to Phil’s room for this shift. 

She ran past him. Dan rushed behind her and stopped in his tracks when he saw Kath leaning on the wall outside Phil’s room, her neck thrown back, eyes focused on the ceiling and lips murmuring as she cried.

He tried to enter the room but Kath caught him by the wrist. “They are working on him, we need to stay back,” she pleaded.

“No, no! I promised I would be there with him.” Dan tried to see Phil, but he was merely able to catch a glimpse of his unconscious body. Two nurses and one doctor were attempting CPR. The Holter monitor showed nothing but a flat line. Dan’s ears rang with the constant noise that indicated that Phil was no longer there.

“There’s nothing we can do, Dan. Let the doctors do their job, _Please_.” She was trying to maintain hope, but her face let Dan know that Kath thought this was the day she would be losing her youngest child.

Dan turned and ran towards the service stairs. He made his way down to the first floor, trying to breathe normally, but feeling unable to do so. His vision blurred and he slid down to the floor on the first landing. When he finally let out a sob, he couldn’t stop. His entire body was shaking, his heart felt like it was trying to crawl out of his mouth, his stomach twisting and turning. 

He would do anything to make Phil healthy again. He wasn’t ready to let go.

No amount of tears could express what he was truly feeling yet he let them fall. His emotions still ran rampant, providing him no release, so he let it out all. He gasped for breath and yelled and yelled until his throat felt dry and couldn’t work anymore. 

The lights flickered for a moment before returning to normal. Dan opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them, and saw a pair of black leather shoes but didn’t bother to look up.

“Are you ok?” A man placed a hand on his shoulder.

Dan shook his head and covered his face with his hands. He continued to sob wishing he could be left alone.

“Come now, you need to calm down, this isn’t good for you.” The man sounded calm but firm.

“I don’t c-care. Leave me alone, PLEASE!”

“Who have you lost?” The man pushed.

Dan didn’t feel like talking but he heard himself answering anyway, “My boyfriend, my everything.”

The man hummed. “What would you give to have him back?”

Dan’s body felt suddenly depleted, his voice was slow and calm, tears no longer falling from his eyes. He didn’t feel like talking but he felt like he had no choice. “Anything. _Everything_.”

“Your soul?”

“Anyone’s soul,” Dan said flatly.

“Those are not yours to give. But you can give yours.”

Dan’s eyes finally travelled up the man in front of him. Black trousers and coat, black hair and fair skin, for a moment he thought he saw a red glint in the deep black eyes. “I would do anything. I would give my soul, my body, my life. All I want is for Phil to be healthy and able to enjoy life again. I want our happiness back.”

“You will have it, for the rest of your life.” He extended his hand towards Dan and waited.

Dan took the man’s hand and let himself be helped up. 

“Make it count,” said the man, and with a last look in Dan’s direction, he was gone. 

\--

Dan felt someone touching his shoulder. “Phil,” he murmured still in his sleep.

“Dan, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. They were able to bring him back.”

Dan jolted awake and realized he had fallen asleep in one of the chairs in the waiting room; he didn’t remember how he got there. He looked into Kath’s tired eyes. “Come on. The doctor wants to speak to us.”

\--

“We were able to resuscitate him, but his brain was left without oxygen for two minutes. We will need to wait and see if he makes it through the night and if there is any brain damage.”

Kath sobbed as Dan wrapped his arms around her tightly. He wanted nothing more than to spare her from the pain. “He will be ok. _I promise_ , Kath. He will be.”

She looked into his eyes and whatever she saw there, made her believe his word. “Ok,” she whispered with a sigh.

\--

Much to everyone’s surprise, not twelve hours after his heart had stopped beating, Phil woke up. His voice sounded tired but much better than it had the day before. 

Phil extended his hand and held onto Dan’s. “Where were you last night? I missed you,” he asked, his tone mildly reproachful, but his lips adorned with a small smile. 

“I went for coffee, remember?” Dan spoke softly, even now it felt wrong to do anything to startle Phil. He felt as if his fragile reality could shatter at any second.

“Oh, right.” He coughed, clutching his chest. Dan brought him a glass of water which Phil promptly took. 

“Are you ok?” Dan frowned.

Phil cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m feeling much better. Thank you.”

“You sound a bit better today.” Dan took a seat next to the bed.

“Yeah, thankfully. The soreness in my throat was so annoying, but it’s gone now, so I was able to sleep well.”

Dan frowned. “Why didn’t you say you were hurting, we could have gotten you something?”

“I didn’t want to worry you, bub.” He smiled, placing his hand on Dan’s cheek.

Dan smiled softly. “You are… incredible. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. We will be fine.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Phil sighed. “I’m going to take a nap. I finally feel like I’m catching up on my rest.” He slowly shimmied down under the hospital covers.

“No pain?” asked Dan while he tucked Phil into bed.

“Not since this morning’s dose.” Phil’s eyes were already closing.

“That’s amazing. Get some rest,” Dan said, getting up from his chair.

“Stay with me?” Phil extended his hand towards Dan.

Dan took it and gave it a little squeeze, returning to his usual spot on the chair beside the bed. “Of course.”

\---

Phil continued to read from his grandma’s journal but at a much more reasonable pace, slowly sifting through the information and marking things he found interesting. When Dan had questioned him about it, he said they were reminders, of what, Dan didn’t know, but he didn’t press the matter.

Phil’s health got increasingly better with each passing day. In all honesty, it all felt like a fever dream. Even the team of doctors that had treated Phil were at a loss on how he had recovered from his illness when prior to his “short term death” - as he jokingly called it- no treatment had seemed to be working. It was as if his body had reset or a miracle had occurred. He was discharged in the first week of August and moved back home, occasionally returning to the hospital for some more lab work.

Dan’s mind kept coming back to what he’d thought to be a dream. But it couldn’t be. He had asked Kath if he had really run in the direction of the emergency stairs and she had confirmed. How he had managed to be found in the waiting room without crossing her or the nurses, or without exiting the building… it made no sense. Even if he had managed to walk there himself with no recollection of it happening, there was no physical way for that to have happened without someone noticing.

That meant -

Dan didn’t believe in the supernatural yet it scared him shitless. He wanted to be pragmatic, but all the evidence pointed towards madness. He went through the events that took place that night over and over again. 

Going for a coffee in the waiting room, seeing the nurse, speaking to Kath, running for the stairs, collapsing in the first landing, black leader shoes, talking about his soul… the man, he had asked Dan what he would be willing to give to get Phil back and Dan had said anything. 

‘What if,’ he thought. ‘How would it be possible for him to sell something he didn’t even believe in. Were souls even a thing?’ 

As his mind felt like an unsorted puzzle when it came to the last few months in their lives, so his therapist had suggested that he started writing his thoughts down when he felt like it was too much to process. He decided to stop at Barnes and Noble and buy a new journal with the hopes of putting his thoughts in order. He hadn’t kept one since his dream journal but while that one still had some space in it, this felt like a completely different beast. 

He came home and slowly padded through the flat, trying to locate Phil. He finally found him in his filming space. He briefly waved at his boyfriend, who merely smiled and continued speaking to the camera. “It had been really hard but thankfully I had Dan with me the entire time, he was honestly what kept me afloat.”

Dan pouted at Phil and placed his hand over his heart.

“I knew that if I despaired he would too, so I tried to take it a day at a time and let him pamper me, fluffing my pillows, holding my hand and overall, being the best,” Phil continued but he wasn’t looking into the camera, he was looking straight into Dan’s eyes. 

He cleared his throat before talking to the camera once again. “So yeah, the doctors are amazed at how well I am recovering, I’ve gotten great test results for two weeks now. I’m not sure what worked because everything happened so fast and then… I just woke up feeling better. It was like magic or something. And the weirdest thing was that I was reading my grandma’s journal and the last thing I remember reading that night was _“Be brave my child, trying times are coming. Don’t give up, not until it’s time.”_ And then I died, but don’t worry, I’m clearly ok now.”

Dan blinked in confusion but didn’t interrupt the filming process, he merely gestured to Phil that he was heading to the bedroom and left. Once there, he set about using his new fancy stationery to write everything he could remember about this. He merely started with a summary of what he was going to be writing in eventually. 

In the following weeks, whenever he spent any time away from Phil, he sat down and continued pouring the information into the pages of his journal. He checked messages and any other time reference or passing mention of something he could have forgotten and wrote it down for further review. 

He wrote it all down, from Phil’s diagnosis until that strange night. He went into as much detail as he could recall about his conversation with the man in the emergency stairs, but his memory seemed fragmented at times, making things fuzzy. 

He finally pieced whatever information he had together and wrote it in the journal, but he realized something was missing. Right before he shut the journal for the day, he closed his eyes trying to call the man’s face to his mind and gasped when he remembered the red glint in his eyes. In fact, that was the thing he remembered the most about him, besides the ghostly pale skin and the black hair. He frowned, not knowing if that was part of his memory or if it was a figment of his imagination, after considering it briefly, he noted it in his journal and hid it in the back of his sock drawer. 

\--

The first thing they did once Phil had gotten a clean bill of health was celebrate Dan’s birthday again, since by the time June had rolled around they had been staying at the hospital full-time. Dan did not want to celebrate, he would have been the first to admit so, but he thought the occasion merited it. Even if it was already August.

Both of their families came to stay at their flat and helped decorate it for the small party. Everyone was happy to celebrate another year in Dan’s life after what they had gone through, and of course to celebrate Phil’s recovery too. Dan joked about it, calling Phil the hobbit of birthdays, always having seconds and thirds. 

Next on the agenda had been traveling to a Mediterranean Island with their friends; it was about time they got a vacation. They both regained a healthy glow to their skin once they laid in the sun for two weeks with margaritas, their bodies finally starting to relax after such an incredibly painful period of their lives.

With October rapidly approaching, Dan went about planning their anniversary dinner at one of the most expensive and exclusive restaurants in central London. He had the ring ready but he decided against proposing that very night, opting to wait until Christmas dinner with both of their families to pop the question. After all, they wouldn’t have made it this far without their incredible support system. 

\--

A fateful December afternoon, not unlike any other, Dan finally paid his dues. 

Phil had gone to the Isle of Man for a few days to visit his parents but Dan had opted to stay behind because he didn’t want to cancel the business meetings they already had. 

He walked in the rain, cursing his luck, he pulled his hood tighter around his face but it did little to protect him from the weather. His mind kept going back to Phil and how much he missed him, maybe he should have cancelled everything and joined him, but it was too late now. As he approached the street corner he caught a black figure in one of the shop displays out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned to it, there were only children’s toys. He shook his head but kept walking at a faster pace. 

His right foot hit the asphalt first, then the left, the rain almost making him slip, but he regained his balance fairly quickly. He continued through the intersection with a small laugh at his clumsiness. 

“Dan!” 

Dan turned on the spot with a frown, Phil wasn’t due to be back yet, how-

Dan never saw the taxi speeding toward him after running a red light. His body landed a few meters ahead. He felt no pain, only the rain gently caressing his face. He blinked slowly, he felt at peace. People gathered around him, seemingly yelling, but he couldn’t hear them. 

A familiar set of eyes observed him from above, black with a hint of red, smiling. “ _It is time to pay.”_

‘At least I got a few more months with Phil,’ a tear rolled down his cheek and mixed with the raindrops. ‘He will be safe and continue without me.’ Dan extended his hand towards the man in the black suit and with his last breath he thought: ‘It was worth it, Phil. I love you.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates coming every day until it's completed. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos will be greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading this fic despite the warnings! Grief is a very challenging topic for me and I tried to get out of my comfort zone with this prompt.
> 
> I posted an entire Vampire slow burn last week (The last chapter came out today): [Kiss From a Rose](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081600/chapters/60756046)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: [Succubusphan](http://Succubusphan.tumblr.com/)
> 
> In case you wish to reblog the fic: [Tumblr Link](https://succubusphan.tumblr.com/post/623455309821771776/symphony-of-destruction-chapter-1)
> 
> Here's the playlist I created to write this fic: [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gV17Kl8oBzCBvEW1QOijK?si=3wsngIc2S4-7Is_ZKaz8tA)
> 
> When I finish posting this fic, there will be a 24 hour rest and then I'll post my last fic for the event: a Stanger things au with a twist.


	2. Chapter 2

Phil could barely stand to stay in their flat anymore, every single corner of it was a heavy reminder of beautiful moments spent with Dan, and Dan was no more. He wished, _he wished_ that he was more spiritual, that he could think Dan was still around, keeping him safe, waiting for him, but he didn’t truly believe that. He felt like part of him was gone; _dead_ , like Dan. 

It had been two weeks since the funeral. Everything had gone by in a blur, Phil had been there in body but not in mind, if he had…he’d be back in the hospital. 

Life was unfair. First his illness, then Dan’s death. Even weeks before it happened, Phil had noticed Dan being more elusive. He had slowly closed back into himself and appeared lost in thought for hours at the time. When Phil had questioned him about it, he’d said that he was researching something but wouldn’t go into detail about it.

Phil couldn’t help but blame himself for leaving his boyfriend alone, maybe if he’d stayed - no, it was useless to focus on the what-ifs now. He needed to try to keep his sanity, it was what Dan would have wanted. 

He looked around their room, the bed still unmade as Dan had left it three weeks ago. A glass of stale water on the nightstand, pens- a surprising amount of pens. 

His mother had urged him to go through Dan’s belongings, seeing what he wanted to keep, what he wanted to give to his family, and what to donate, but he didn’t have the emotional energy for that. At the moment he only felt as if his body wasn’t real, unable to feel anything else, and he intended to keep it that way. He crawled into bed, burying his face into the pillow and inhaled what was left of Dan’s scent. He closed his eyes for a moment before the dark claimed him. 

\--

When he finally woke up, his entire body ached, his phone indicated that - actually his phone had died at some point. He couldn’t remember when was the last time he’d checked for messages. He got up and turned on the light, trying to stretch out his sore muscles. Something was clawing at his insides, he recognized it as the feeling that overtook him when he got the diagnosis back in March. _Despair._

He refused to let that happen again. He thought about what he did at the hospital to stay sane, clinging to Dan was not an option… his grandma’s diary, at the time it had felt so important to finish it but he hadn’t managed it. He went to the bookcase and grabbed the journal, opening it where the marker had landed last. His grandma had left incoherent or vague notes, occasionally setting reminders for herself, but most addressing someone else. 

_“Child, I am so sorry that you had to go through this, but fear not, grandma Violet will be with you at every step of the way. Your beloved had secrets of their own, you must find them to understand, I haven’t been able to see them all. The path has been covered but not before I got a glimpse of it. Look for it!”_

‘How odd,’ Phil thought. ‘Who could have she been writing to? My mother hadn’t even been born yet.’ He continued reading. 

_“Look for it, Philip!”_

Phil gasped. ‘This can’t be real.’ He flipped a few pages back. 

_“You are healed, my child.”_ That had been the first thing he had read when he woke up from… he went back another page. _“Be brave my child, trying times are coming. Don’t give up, not until it’s time.”_ He remembered reading that, but not the following sentence _. “I’m with you, my child, be strong, be brave. Goodbye, see you soon.”_ That had been the night he had died. At the time he had thought it didn’t make any sense, but now it felt like too much of a coincidence. He went back to the first page of the journal. _“I wish this missive finds you well, although I know it won’t. You are too important, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood, I will guide you every step of the way, pay close attention to my directions. I will leave a key behind with this journal, keep it close to you when you are embarking on important journeys. Do not tell anyone outside the family about its existence.”_

‘A key,’ Phil tried to remember… there had been a key, what had he done with it?

He remembered showing the entry in the journal and the key to Dan, how Dan had laughed saying he had inherited his quirkiness from his grandma. When Phil had consulted him where to keep the key he’d merely answered “I don’t know, Phil. Put it on your keychain if you want to keep it close… or hide it in your sock drawer to keep it safe,” with an amused smile. 

Phil dropped to his knees on the floor and pulled open his sock drawer. He almost cried at the sight, there were pairs of odd socks folded neatly and placed in rows of five. Apparently anxiety had gotten the best out of Dan while he was gone. 

He spotted what he had been looking for in the far left corner of the drawer, a key as long as the palm of his hand with intricate details in its bow and a vintage looking blade.

Phil stroked the key marvelled at the sheer size and weight of it, what could it possibly open and why was it so important? He returned to bed and read the text again. “ _Your beloved had secrets of their own, you must find them to understand...look for it.”_ The disparity in number in that sentence didn’t sound like a mistake, but he didn’t quite know how to start. ‘What is _it?_ What am I looking for?’

Instead of racking his brain for answers he probably wasn’t going to find by sheer will, he decided to go through the common places where Dan kept important things. Nothing stood out to him after he had gone through the desk drawers, his hard drives, his closet, the nightstands; Phil was starting to believe that he was losing his mind, trying to draw conclusions from a journal written by his deceased grandma decades before he had been born. Maybe this was just another way he had found to cope with grief. 

He let himself fall onto the bed with a huff. All of this didn’t make any sense, they were young and healthy and good people. It didn’t feel fair. Deep down he knew that those things didn’t mean anything, good people died every day, young and healthy people as well, but he refused to accept it, that it was the end of them. He knew that Dan had passed away, that they were not together anymore, but he felt that this was not how the story was supposed to go. This was not their story. 

He closed his eyes trying to clear his head and heard Dan’s voice in his mind. “I don’t know, Phil. Put it on your keychain if you want to keep it close… or hide it in your sock drawer to keep it safe.”

Phil bolted out of bed and went through Dan’s sock drawer. At first, he couldn’t see anything calling his attention in the sea of black socks, but after rummaging in it with both hands he finally found a black journal. 

He opened it and started reading through the pages, a twinge of guilt in his heart at betraying Dan’s wish of keeping it hidden but he felt like this was the missing piece in the puzzle. 

Phil ran the pad of his fingers in the soft cover of the diary and opened it with a deep breath. _“the **worst** and best few months of my life, by Daniel Howell.” _Phil laughed as he felt the texture of the furious over marking of the word worst. 

_AUGUST 25TH._

_“The beginning of this year was amazing; we had so many plans for the future, travel plans, I bought a fucking ring that I wanted to give Phil. It felt like this would be our year, but soon after Phil’s birthday, we noticed something was wrong. His headaches started to get worse and worse, he didn’t feel like eating, a week later he developed a fever. He insisted that it was just a bug, that he was going to be fine, but I knew something was off. After a few more days of me begging Phil to go to the hospital, he relented and we went to get him checked up._

_Since he had fainted a few times, they decided to keep him in observation to run some tests while they made sure he was on fluids and pain killers. I expected the results to give us something to work on, a diagnosis that would allow the doctors to give Phil some medicine to continue the treatment at home but that day never came. After twenty four hours, the doctor called me and let me know that the results were not looking good and they would need to run more tests and do an MRI. At that moment I knew, I knew what they suspected. That word gives me chills, to this day I refuse to use it, especially concerning Phil._

_I thought that since he had been young and overall healthy that he would beat it, how could he not? There’s not a thing in the world that Phil can’t do. But that - that thing, by June, Phil was barely able to breathe on his own, his throat was constantly sore, his head hurt, he could barely eat. I watched as he wilted, as the life was drained out of him. I felt like the universe was trying to take him away from me and I was powerless to stop it._

_Everything was happening so fast. I saw Phil rushing to finish his grandma’s journal and knew he felt it too, the end was coming. On July 20th I left to get some coffee and when I returned he had flat lined, Kath asked me to let the doctors who were trying to reanimate him work. I ran to the emergency stairs but didn’t make it further than the first landing before I went into a full blown panic attack. I don’t know how long I was there but a man appeared in front of me, asking me questions, asking who had died and what I would give to get him back. I didn’t want to speak to anyone but it felt like my lips moved on their own accord, I said “anything.” The man asked about my soul and I said yes. He gave me a hand and helped me up. I can’t remember most of his face, just black hair, pale skin, black eyes with a red glint in them. That’s the last thing I remember. Hours later Kath found me in the waiting room, there’s no way to go past Phil’s room towards the waiting room without being seen. The only other option would be exiting through the emergency stairs and going back through the main entrance. I don’t remember doing that and I would have needed to get authorization to the critical ward. _

_I feel like I’m losing my goddamn mind. Everything is so surreal._

_Then the doctor came to speak to us and told us that Phil was alive, that we needed to wait and see if he had long term brain damage or not, but he started to improve fast. **Way too fast.** They kept him on his meds for a few weeks until his test results came back completely normal, but nobody understands what happened exactly. The hospital has kept samples of his blood to analyze it because they think his body found a way to fight the illness. If it wasn’t for everything else, if it wasn’t for the fact that this is all too good to be true, I would have believed it. But I think that what happened that night was real. _

_AUGUST 30TH_

_ It haunts me. _ _There’s a constant feeling of heaviness in me now. I feel something lurking over me, attached to me. Waiting._

_At least Phil is fully recovered. He more than recovered. A few days ago he fell in the shower and hit his head on the wall. When I got there I thought - he looked … but then he opened his eyes and chuckled at his clumsiness. I almost had a coronary._

_I think he can’t die, I don’t understand the full details of this, but some obscure google searches have pointed in the direction of the Satanic Bible. I have seen an online copy but it doesn’t clarify anything, there’s only a vague reference to a section called the “Judas Contract” but that part is not publically available._

_Apparently, that passage/section was edited out centuries ago, but still exists in the hands of a few collectors of the original copy or it’s reproductions; I am not sure yet. I need that information; I need to know that Phil will be ok, even if I’m not. That’s all I care about.”_

Overwhelmed with emotions, Phil shut his eyes tightly. He flopped onto the bed with a heavy sigh and fell into a restless sleep.

‘I am not ok, Dan. Not without you.’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates coming every day until it's completed. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos will be greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading this fic despite the warnings! Grief is a very challenging topic for me and I tried to get out of my comfort zone with this prompt.
> 
> I posted an entire Vampire slow burn last week: [Kiss From a Rose](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081600/chapters/60756046)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: [Succubusphan](http://Succubusphan.tumblr.com/)
> 
> In case you wish to reblog the fic: [Tumblr Link](https://succubusphan.tumblr.com/post/623544079721037824/symphony-of-destruction-chapter-2)
> 
> Here's the playlist I created to write this fic: [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gV17Kl8oBzCBvEW1QOijK?si=3wsngIc2S4-7Is_ZKaz8tA)
> 
> When I finish posting this fic, there will be a 24 hour rest and then I'll post my last fic for the event: a Stanger things au with a twist.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time he woke up the following morning, he had the blissful thought that it had all been a dream, but the fact that the offending black journal was still lying beside him, left no doubt in his mind that it had all been real. Phil didn’t know what to make of any of this. It seemed like Dan had been slowly losing his mind, but on the other hand, Phil might be right there with him. Why did all of this fit so perfectly? It was unbelievable, yet at the same time, it felt like the only plausible option.

He got up and booted up Dan’s laptop and logged into it intending to go through his search history. He felt incredibly grateful that they had always felt comfortable enough to share passwords and login information to all their devices. It was just one more thing that they had shared, just like everything else, “What’s mine is yours, what’s yours is mine,” there had been next to no secrets between them; except for _this_. 

Phil smiled as he imagined how Dan would’ve reacted to Phil reading his search history after his death; it had always been one of their inside jokes. It had clearly not crossed Dan’s mind since some wedding venues have been bookmarked recently. Even though Dan was concerned about the Judas Contract, he’d still tried to continue and make their lives worth living instead of existing in fear of the demon that loomed above them. 

As he traced the screen displaying the pictures of the future they had been deprived of with a finger, Phil decided that he was going to pursue this until the very end. He was not going to give up on Dan, not only because he loved him, but because Dan had not given up on him or their love either.

Phil scrolled down for a few minutes but couldn’t find any information on the Contract. Pursing his lips, he huffed and thought about Dan’s organization system. No, he wouldn’t have saved them randomly like Phil, he would have made a folder with a common name so that Phil wouldn’t come across it if he were casually borrowing his laptop. The moment he saw the title “Legal” he knew he’d found it. There was a wide variety of bookmarked pages on the topic. Apparently, after weeks of research, Dan had concluded he should be looking for the first manuscript of the Satanic Bible and a copy of “The Divine Comedy,” so that’s where Phil decided to start as well. 

Since Dan’s bank history showed that he had bought a copy of the book, Phil went to their bookcase and searched up and down for the copy. He found it hidden behind the first row of books, flushed to the back of the bookcase. It was a very small edition that contained quite a few illustrations. It also had several bookmarks and highlighted passages added by Dan, such as the part where the entrance to hell was described, as well as the circles for each kind of Sinner. 

It took Phil a few days to go through all the new information that Dan had gathered, the search history, and read the remainder of the Journal, but when he reached the last page, his goal was set. 

To his surprise, rumours put the last trace of the manuscript laid on the hands of a private collector residing in Rome. It was said to have been taken from the Vatican’s Library several centuries ago. 

Phil was doubtful but joined forums and groups of the Satanic community to get some information on the collector. They were wary of sharing any kind of information with him since he was an outsider. After trying to convince them for a week, he decided to share his story and Dan’s theory of what had happened to him. They requested proof of his story, going as far as asking for his lab results and copies of Dan’s Journal.

At first, he had refused, thinking it would be unfair to Dan to share his private information, but in the end, a man had emailed him a picture with a small fragment on the Judas Contract. It was not the same passage he had read before; it contained new information, but the man wanted to speak in person. The man’s name was Geronimo D’ascenzo. He owned a big Villa on the outskirts of Rome. He had politely invited Phil to stay, but of course, Phil was not one to trust strangers, even if they had agreed to help him. 

Phil hesitated briefly but made up his mind. If he wanted the information he would need to meet Geronimo in person, he would have to trust. 

\--

Phil took the first available flight to Rome and brought with him most of the information he had gathered. Geronimo had agreed to help him find what he needed in exchange for seeing what Phil had. He had asked Phil if there was anything else that he wanted to share, but Phil had decided not to mention the key. His grandmother had left him specific instructions about not telling anyone of its existence outside of the family. 

For security purposes, he left an extensive document in his computer at home detailing where he was going, who he was going to meet, and as much information about the man as he had been able to gather. 

They met at an exclusive café that Geronimo had chosen and took a seat in one of the booths at the back to avoid any curious onlookers. Geronimo ordered coffee for both of them and asked the waiter to not disturb them until he was called.

Phil observed the man in front of him carefully. He was tall, his black hair paired well with his olive skin tone and vibrant green eyes, he had a weird aura about him that made Phil a bit uneasy. He briefly wondered if meeting Geronimo had been a mistake, but when their coffees finally arrived, he saw the man reach for both cups briefly exposing his wrists. He gasped. Geronimo has a white tattoo of a symbol Phil had seen on his grandma’s journal with the inscription “ _All roads lead to Rome.”_ He relaxed into the seat with a sigh. 

Once they were left alone Geronimo showed Phil pictures of the entire passage he had been looking for. It read: _“When the time comes for the world to collapse and fall into darkness, a man will exchange his soul for greed with the demon named Judas, traitor of traitors. This crime against the order of nature’s laws will bring upon the earth a symphony of destruction that will cost many lives, starting by the one who signed the Judas Contract. His greed and selfishness will be the start of the apocalypse and he will suffer amongst those of his kind in a hell of his own creation. The key is necessary to save the tormented soul. Only a sinner and saint with a deep connection to the hellbound could complete this task, but should they stay for too long, they will join the ranks of hell for all eternity. A key is the key.”_

Phil felt that there could be more information in the original, but this was as good as it was going to get, since Geronimo was not going to bring the manuscript out to a public place. In turn, Phil showed him most of the information, but only mentioned his grandma’s journal, never sharing any pictures of it. 

Together they pieced the information into one cohesive story; the only missing piece was the key. 

Geronimo thought the key to be some sort of metaphor since it had never been found or mentioned anywhere else other than in his manuscript. It was said to be a key forged in the fires of hell but tempered in the winds of heaven by Gabriel himself. In his opinion, this could mean the cumulative characteristics in a single human, sinner and saint, someone who had defied the sacred laws of nature but without guilt by his own hand; someone like Phil. 

There was some information about the entrance of the cave being in Romania, in the property belonging to Vlad III, the cruel tyrant who inspired Dracula. It was rumoured that it was the sole reason he had acquired that property in the 15th century. 

According to the manuscript, there would be a particularly large tree in the gardens of the property in which the entrance would open during the next solar eclipse.

Phil immediately set a course for Romania with Geronimo’s well wishes. Not three weeks later, on the day of the solar eclipse, Phil made it into the garden and waited for the appropriate moment. 

As the sky descended into darkness, lighting struck the already deserted grounds, creating a ring of fire around the biggest tree in the property. Phil gasped at the view but made his way towards it anyway. 

A second lightning bolt struck, but this time on the tree itself and even though it was at least five meters tall, the tree bark started to crack open from top to bottom as it had been sliced with a hot knife. Its core lit up with Hellfire, glowing ominously as it continued to open, forming an imperfect entrance to the underworld. Phil felt a shiver running down his spine as he continued walking towards the newly formed cave, the only sound reverberating in his ears was that of the tree burning from the inside out.

He took a deep breath to ground himself, patted his right pocket feeling for the key, and made his way into the cave. From above the entire place looked like a continued spiral staircase with uneven steps carved into the walls, as far as the eye could see, in the center, a bright red-orange glow carried the fumes of sulfur all the way to the top. 

Although it was smoldering hot inside, Phil could feel cold seeping straight into his bones as he walked down; if someone would have asked him, he would’ve said it felt like the physical manifestation of dread. Every so often the steps would fuse into uneven platforms that formed the circles of hell. The tortured Souls around him looked like decaying bodies, sobbing and yelling, some wedged between giant rocks, some perpetually drowning in a raging sea, others attacked by snakes and hornets; all engrossed in their suffering but judging him all the same. They seemed to understand that he didn’t belong there and they hated him for it.

He made it down to the third circle, where those who had been too greedy in their mortal life had come to suffer. A great number of people dragged rocks into each other, trying to crush anyone on their path; Phil shook his head in horror. 

He was going to continue down the path when he saw a familiar face; away from everyone else, a young man with brown hair curled on his knees in front of a tombstone. Sobs wracked through his body, his face hidden in his hands, he mumbled something under his breath.

Phil approached him slowly, trying to see for himself. ‘Is this Dan? 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I had to do it. I couldn’t let go.” The thick shackles on his wrists jiggled as his body trembled. 

Phil’s foot slipped on gravel alerting the man of his presence. 

He peered between his fingers, frozen in place. “Who are you? Why are you here?” 

“Hello, are you ok?” Phil took another step towards him. 

“Stay back!” The man shouted, stretching his hand towards Phil. “Leave me alone!” 

Phil could have cried of happiness, it was really him. “Dan, it’s me.”

Dan huffed and got to his feet. He threw a disgusted look at Phil before exiting through a door on the side of the cave. 

Phil noticed the tombstone read “Here lies Daniel Howell, who sold his soul for greed.” Is this what a hell of his own creation looks like?’

With a deep frown and hurried steps, Phil followed him inside. Looking around, he realized they had entered what looked like a reproduction of their flat, but it was completely destroyed and dirty. The air inside was cold and humid, in clear contrast with the exterior.

Dan sat on the ruins of their bed. He kept caressing the tattered sheets on Phil’s side and mumbling. “Where is he, where is he? I want him, I need him. My love. My soulmate.” 

He continued to cry, wrapping his arms around his frame as he kept on mumbling the same phrases over and over, like a mantra. 

Phil sat beside him and laid a hand on his leg. 

“Who do you miss darling?” He asked softly. 

“My love,” Dan sniffled

Phil closed his eyes, bracing himself for the battle ahead. “What was his name?” 

“I don’t recall,” Dan admitted with a whine. 

Phil needed him to remember. “What did he look like?” 

Dan smiled briefly but it turned into a frown. “Beautiful.”

“Look at me. Do you know who I am?” 

Dan looked at him briefly but his eyes focused on the sheets once more. “No, who are you?” 

“My name is Phil. Dan, don’t you remember me?” 

Dan shook his head sadly. “I don’t. Are you new in the neighborhood?” 

Phil swallowed thick but continued. “I just moved next door.”

Dan cocked his head and looked him straight in the eyes, with much more interest than before. “Have you seen my loved one? I miss him.”

“I haven’t.” Phil pressed his lips into a line. “When was the last time you saw him? Do you remember?”

“Before he abandoned me. He left me to die,” Dan cried. 

“I’m sure he didn’t. He loves you. You just need to see the truth.” Phil noticed then that the shackles on Dan’s wrists had a keyhole. He fished the key out of his pocket and tried to open the lock.

Dan looked at him with a confused look upon his face, red chains became visible briefly and tugged at Dan’s wrists. His face lost all expression as he shied away from Phil, keeping his hands out of reach. “The truth is that he left me. I made a deal for him, to save him. It was bad, it was wrong, but I don’t regret it. He’s living without me. I was foolish to think I could have it all. Too greedy for my own good. I still am, I keep waiting for him, I need him.”

Phil started to feel it, the pull. He wasn’t meant to be here in the first place and now he was starting to forget himself, he had failed. “Dan, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you alone. You never left me when I needed you and I did. I failed you, I failed us,” he choked a sob. “I love you. I will never leave you alone again.” He buried his face in Dan’s chest, inhaling his scent one last time. He was willing to lose himself if it meant an eternity with Dan.

_“Be brave my child, trying times are coming. Don’t give up, not until it’s time.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates coming every day until it's completed. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos will be greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading this fic despite the warnings! Grief is a very challenging topic for me and I tried to get out of my comfort zone with this prompt.
> 
> I posted an entire Vampire slow burn last week: [Kiss From a Rose](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081600/chapters/60756046)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: [Succubusphan](http://Succubusphan.tumblr.com/)
> 
> In case you wish to reblog the fic: [Tumblr Link](https://succubusphan.tumblr.com/post/623635369777381376/symphony-of-destruction-chapter-3)
> 
> Here's the playlist I created to write this fic: [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gV17Kl8oBzCBvEW1QOijK?si=3wsngIc2S4-7Is_ZKaz8tA)
> 
> When I finish posting this fic, there will be a 24 hour rest and then I'll post my last fic for the event: a Stanger things au with a twist.


	4. Chapter 4

Phil’s eyes lost focus as his soul started to forget who he was and what he was doing here, his heart became heavier and heavier by the second with the heartache of loss. He sat back and looked at the figure next to him. “Have you seen my love?” He looked down at his wrists noticing he was restricted by shackles, but no visible chains were coming from them. He frowned.

Dan looked at the man beside him. He looked… different. Less alive, as if something was now missing. The beautiful blue eyes did not stare at him like they did moments before, like - like they had. He knew this man, Phil. So beautiful. Dan frowned, trying to remember. The light in Phil was now gone. Dan gasped, he remembered Phil. 

He looked into Phil’s eyes, placing his hand on his cheek. “Phil?” he cried. “Phil, no no, please! Stay with me! Stay with me, baby!” One of the shackles on Dan’s wrist opened on its own and fell to the floor. He remembered. He remembered _them_.

Phil didn’t reply, he merely sat frozen in place with a faraway look. 

Dan had only one thought in mind, it might not work, but it was worth a try. “Phil, I love you. I love you so much. Please come back to me. I’m sorry that I got myself killed. I didn’t mean to leave you alone. Baby, I’m right here.” He pressed his lips to Phil’s who gasped and slowly started to respond, grabbing onto Dan’s tattered clothes and pulling him closer, kissing his cheeks, his eyelids, his neck, finally returning to his lips. 

Dan smiled into the kiss, feeling more like himself again. When he pulled back he regarded Phil’s expression. 

Phil’s eyes started to unfocus again but Dan held his hand. “Phil Lester, I’m here, I’m your loved one, you don’t need to keep looking for me, you have found me already.”

One of Phil’s shackles opened and fell to the ground. He gasped. “I- I remember…”

“We should leave,” Dan said before the thought had a chance to leave his mind, the remaining shackle on each of them was still a threat to their sanity. 

Phil remembered who he and Dan were but the rest of his mind was still foggy. “How?”

Dan considered it briefly, but he was unsure of the answer himself. “How did you get here?”

“I - there was a man. _A tree_.” Phil looked down at his lap noticing a beautiful key there. “The key - it’s important.”

Dan felt like that was correct but he didn’t remember why. “Can it open the shackles?” He asked, putting his wrist closer to Phil.

“Let’s see.” Phil was able to place the key in the lock but it didn’t turn. “Damn it!”

“Nevermind, put the key in your pocket. We need to go out and find the tree.” Dan grabbed Phil’s hand and pulled him towards the door.”

Once they stepped outside, Dan saw his tombstone out of the corner of his eye and shivered, his memories of the time spent in front of it suffering felt both foreign and personal. He looked around with disgust at the souls crushing each other with giant rocks, wondering why everyone else in this circle seemed to experience their atonement in a very different way to his. 

He felt Phil pull at his hand and point towards the stone staircase and let himself be dragged in that direction. 

“I think it’s that way,” Phil said, rushing toward the stairs. They almost set a foot on the first step when the first set of five fell off the stone wall leaving a gap too big for them to jump over without falling to the pits of hell. 

“Shit! What do we do? We can’t jump.” Dan asked, starting to fear the worse. The fact that he didn’t remember how he got to this place made him feel even more unsafe,

Phil looked around. Across that level, there was an opening on the wall, an orange glow coming from within. “There!”

They ran as fast as they could, keeping away from the edge of the cliff and entered through the opening. The air smelled like rotten eggs, lava running through the center of the passage they were following like a river. 

They walked for what felt like hours until they saw a set of doors in the distance. Faces of demonic and human figures alike trapped within it, snakes coiled around them, terrorizing them. Their wailing could be heard from where they stood.

They started running towards the gates but stopped short when they noticed someone sitting atop one of the columns. 

“Daniel, I see you have finally found your loved one,” the dark figure said sarcastically.

“Judas,” Dan spat. “He is immortal, you can’t harm him.”

“Oh, but I can harm _you_ ,” he laughed. 

The shackle left on Dan’s wrist glowed red and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air along with Dan’s scream.

“Stop!” Phil yelled and knelt beside his boyfriend.

“No. He made a deal. I saved you, he must stay here and pay for all eternity. A deal is a deal,” said Judas, crossing his arms.

Dan pointed at him and yelled. “You said for the rest of my life.” He felt the touch of cold metal on his fingers where Phil was holding him and gave him a confused look. 

Judas laughed. “And the rest of your life you had.”

Dan directed his attention back to Judas. “You tricked me into dying!”

Judas jumped from the column and landed gracefully on the ground. “I am a demon, what did you expect?”

“So you admit that you violated the contract! It has been void!” Dan retorted. 

“No!” Judas started running towards them.

“Yes!” It hadn’t been his fault; the realization finally broke the last thread of his soul free. The shackle on Dan’s wrist fell but he grabbed it swiftly and used it to shatter the remaining one on Phil. 

Phil gave Dan a meaningful look. Dan stared back and nodded.

Judas screamed in rage as he watched them free themselves from the shackles of torment, but he didn’t give up. He tackled Phil and put his hands around the human’s throat, but before he could so much as squeeze, he felt the skin on his neck start to burn, handprints adorning his pale complexion. He tried again, but once more wherever he touched Phil, the damage only appeared on his own body. 

Dan took the opportunity to run towards the gate and used the key. He felt the inside of the door shifting, the faces trapped in it wailing without a pause. He threw one last look above his shoulder, noticing Judas twitching on the ground and Phil running to join him, turned the key in place and everything went white. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates coming every day until it's completed. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos will be greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading this fic despite the warnings! Grief is a very challenging topic for me and I tried to get out of my comfort zone with this prompt.
> 
> I posted an entire Vampire slow burn last week: [Kiss From a Rose](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081600/chapters/60756046)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: [Succubusphan](http://Succubusphan.tumblr.com/)
> 
> In case you wish to reblog the fic: [Tumblr Link](https://succubusphan.tumblr.com/post/623726226273615872/symphony-of-destruction-chapter-4)
> 
> Here's the playlist I created to write this fic: [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gV17Kl8oBzCBvEW1QOijK?si=3wsngIc2S4-7Is_ZKaz8tA)
> 
> When I finish posting this fic, there will be a 24 hour rest and then I'll post my last fic for the event: a Stanger things au with a twist.


	5. Chapter 5

Dan sat up and stretched his sore back and muscles, he shouldn’t have fallen asleep on the couch. He blinked trying to adjust his eyes to the bright sunlight. He looked to his left and saw Phil still passed out beside him. Flashes of suffering in a dark place danced in his mind. He put a hand to his temple trying to calm down the impending headache. 

’It couldn’t have been real, could it?’

Phil groaned beside him and covered his eyes, trying to protect them from the light. “Where are we?” 

“Home,” Dan said. He wanted to ask Phil if he remembered anything but… 

A glaring light appeared out of nowhere right in front of them. It was blinding yet beautiful, it reminded Dan of the ball of lightning they had seen outside Phil’s family home all those years ago. 

Phil held onto his hand tightly. “What’s happening? I thought we were free!” 

Dan gasped. ‘It had been real.’ 

The light exploded into a fine rain of white sparkles leaving behind a shining figure. 

“Daniel, Philip. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Phil pulled Dan towards him; now that he had his boyfriend back, he was not planning on letting go. “Who are you?” 

“My name is Gabriel. I’m afraid you two have broken quite a few Divine laws,” he said with an amused smile. 

Phil tightened his hold on Dan. “I don’t care. You can’t take Dan, he is mine.” 

Dan looked between them fearing the worst. “If someone has to be taken, I would prefer it to be me. Please, let Phil live.” 

Gabriel chuckled.“I am not here to take either of you.”

Dan let out a sigh of relief. “What are you doing in our home then?” 

Gabriel placed his hands in front of him and laced his fingers. “I came to offer you protection, many demons are interested in getting your souls.” 

“I hurt Judas,” Phil admitted. “He tried to hurt me but I’m immortal.” 

“I know, that’s the other reason I came. The balance _needs_ to be restored and for that to be completed, you need to be mortal again.” 

“That sounds very inconvenient given that you just mentioned demons coming to take our souls.” Dan interjected. 

Gabriel chuckled. “Of course, child. I can give you angelic tattoos that will keep your body and soul from harm.”

Phil didn’t understand how that would be different. “Wouldn’t that make us immortal?” 

Gabriel shook his head. “No. It would keep demons from interfering with you in any capacity. But any other circumstances such as health problems, or interactions with other humans would still affect you.”

Phil rolled his eyes. “What if they sent a human after us?” 

“That would be interfering with your destiny, and the markings would protect you from that.” 

“I don’t believe in destiny,” said Dan. 

Gabriel smiled. “Destiny is what brought you here, to this moment. This was always meant to happen.” 

“Why didn’t you stop it from happening then?” Dan frowned. “I sold my soul for greed, wasn’t that against the rules?”

“You were the first human to sell their soul for love; to save someone. It was a transgression, of course, but it wasn’t a selfish one. It equates more to self-sacrifice, that’s why your torment was different. _You were punishing yourself_.” Gabriel explained. “You were supposed to set the apocalypse in motion, but by sacrificing your eternal life for Philip, you changed your destiny and strayed from the path.”

Phil’s mind went straight to his grandma’s journal: _“The path has been covered but not before I got a glimpse of it.”_ He gasped _._ “My grandmother saw the path before it was covered! She left me notes in her journal.” 

“Violet had always known your worth. She didn’t doubt you for one second. That’s why she didn’t tell you how to avoid the suffering ahead, instead, she left you a guide to overcome it.” 

Phil blinked repeatedly. “She could have stopped this?” 

“Yes, her divine powers came from the kindness of her heart. She had to make a hard choice. If she had helped you change your destiny, the apocalypse would have started only two years later and the illness you developed wouldn’t have found a cure for another twenty years. Now, the research on your blood will be the spark to create a vaccine in the following year.” Gabriel explained. 

“I don’t understand, if the paths were visible, and my sacrifice needed to be completely selfish, why did Judas offer me the deal?” Dan asked. “I can’t believe that I was the first human to try to exchange their soul for love either!” 

“Judas has had a few thousand years to regret his transgressions; he did what he could to be accepted into purgatory, to pay his own debts, and eventually ascend. The darkness to which you tether to so often called to him, but he knew that you would make the right choice if given the chance. He had been watching you for many years. You were the first human to receive the contract in these terms. You were the first self-sacrifice.”

Dan shared a meaningful look with Phil. It seemed like they had been pawns in a game they had not accepted to play. He sighed. “What do you want from us? Be honest.” 

“What do you mean, Daniel?” the angel asked. 

“Well, besides the fact that absolutely everyone used us for their own gain, we did end up breaking the divine laws. I _did_ sell my soul, Phil _did_ become immortal, so what will be our punishment? Are you just going to give us protection and let us live just like that?”

“Yes,” Gabriel smiled. “Although, you would need to join us in the fight against evil if someone were to disrupt the balance.”

Phil hummed. “Well, if the world was going to end it would affect us as well. I say we do it. What do you think?” he asked looking in Dan’s direction. 

“I guess. I’m so tired. I just want this to be over,” Dan said with a heavy sigh. 

“Marvelous!” Gabriel said with a loud clap. “Present your wrists please.” 

Dan and Phil did as they were told and with a simple touch of the angel’s fingers, a matching white tattoo appeared on each. 

Phil brought his hand closer and gasped. It was the same symbol that he had noticed on Geronimo’s skin and his grandma’s journal. 

“I see that you recognize the symbol. Your grandmother had one of those as well. Without the people like you, willing to make the right choices, giving instructions, passing down the key for generations, being kind to others, the end would have come a long time ago. A person who is cast away by their peers can easily turn to evil, but people like you create love and community with those around you.” Gabriel looked around, his eyes lingering in all the art pieces and various sentimental items they had collected over the years given to them by people who loved them. “Every day that you are alive makes the world a better place,” he said with a smile. 

\--

Dan and Phil lived a long and happy life together, appreciating every second of it because they knew that they could have lost it all. Many centuries after they had perished, they were finally called to action, but this time they were ready. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates coming every day until it's completed. 
> 
> Comments and Kudos will be greatly appreciated! Thank you for coming with me on this journey and for giving this fic a chance despite all the warnings. I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> I posted an entire Vampire slow burn last week: [Kiss From a Rose](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081600/chapters/60756046)
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr: [Succubusphan](http://Succubusphan.tumblr.com/)
> 
> In case you wish to reblog the fic: [Tumblr Link](https://succubusphan.tumblr.com/post/623815776887095296/symphony-of-destruction-chapter-5-complete)
> 
> Here's the playlist I created to write this fic: [Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gV17Kl8oBzCBvEW1QOijK?si=3wsngIc2S4-7Is_ZKaz8tA)
> 
> When I finish posting this fic, there will be a 48 hour rest and then I'll post my last fic for the event: a Stanger things au with a twist. (I'm posting on sunday, i had made the math wrong which is not surprising).


End file.
